Gate-latch.



"UMTED srnfrs PATENT BEIGE. f

KENNIE HIDELOATCH, or WAsHINGroNQDIsTRrcroF COLUMBIA. l`

GATE-Laren.

Tall whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, KENNIE I-I. DELoATcH, a citizen of the United States, residing at I/Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvenients in Gate-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates an improved v gate latchV and has as its primary object to provide a device of this character adapted -for use in connection with any conventional type of gate as now employed vand wherein the latch will efficiently 'act to lock the gate shut upon the closing thereof.

The invention has as a further object to provide a device of this character'whi'ch may be readily operated from eitherthe 1nside or the outside of the gate and wherein the latch may be easily applied without the necessity for any structural change 1n the ate. g Other and incidental objects will appear as-the description proceeds and in the drawings wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference ycharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view on a slightly enlarged-scale and,more particularly showing the mounting of the operating lever for actuating the latch,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation more particularly showing the arrangement and mounting of the latch,

Fig. '3 is a sectional view showing thel manner in which the link for connecting the operating lever of the latch with Vthe catch member is adapted to provide a stop for the said catch member limiting the catch member in its movement to active position, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail perspecfl tive view of the said linkf In carrying out the invention, I Vemploy a bracket l10 preferably formed from a` strip of suitable sheet metal bent intermediate its ends to provide parallel arms. The free extremities of these arms may be connected to` a gate post in any suitable manner kas illustrated inthe drawings, and in order that the construction, mounting, and operation of my improved latch may be'more clear, I have conventionally illustrated a gate 11 which is provided with a striking bar 12 fixed to the gate adjacent the free side thereof and forming a movable element swinging with Specification of Letterslatent.

Patente-'a Aug. 7,1917.

Application led July 24, 1916.. Serial No. 111,078. f .A Y.

the gate. VThis bar 12 is, at its free end, arv ranged to coperate with the gate post 13, for limiting the gate in its swinging movement to closed position. It will'nowbe observed that the arms of the brackets 10 are offset adjacent their inner extremities to provide shoulders 14 seating against the front face of the gate post 13 with the adjacent ends of the arms connected to opposite sides 'of the said posts to support the bracket projecting laterally in front of the post.

Freely mounted between the arms of the bracket 10 is a catch 15, pivotally connected adjacent its outer extremity to the outer end of the. bracket by a rivet orrother suitable f fastening device 16 whichextends through the bracket arms. The inner end of thecatch terminates short of the Vshoulders 14 ofthe bracket to receive the bar 12 of the gate,

as particularly shown in Fig.v 1 of the drawjecting and rearwardly inclined "post 18. v

This post is preferably formedfr-om a strip of metal similar to thatemployed in vconstructing the bracket 10 and may be riveted or otherwise'suitably secured to the adjacent arm of the bracket upon `the outer side vr thereof. Arranged upon vthe lpost l8vis an operating lever 19 for the catch. This levertv is Ysomewhat U-shaped in general contour, being formed with downwardly directed arms 20` and 21 respectively with the bight portion of the said lever pivotally connected by a rivet or other'suitable fastening device to the vupper extremity .of the said post. The arm 2O is slightly shorter than the arm 21 and, at its free extremity, is formed with a laterally and forwardly directed extension 22. Extending laterally from thefbodyof the latch in a direction opposite the arm 22 is a rearwardly directed finger receiving lug or handle 23. Connecting the-extension22 Such pressure upon the lug will swing the said lever upon its pivot to raise the extension 22 of the arm 20. rI`his extension will then slide through the eye 25 of the link 24 to lift the catch member and free thev striking bar 12 of the gate. Upon the release of the lug 23, the catch will then gravitate to active position to be limited in its movement by the shoulder 26 of the link 24. In this connection, it will be observed that the link 24k, therefore', performs a dual function since it not only provides a con nection between the operating lever and the catch, but also provides a stop member for limiting the catch in its movement to active position.

The purpose in forming the catch member with the longitudinally inclined edge 17 will now become apparent. Since the said catch will, under normal conditions, automatically move to active position, it will very often occur that the gate willbe open with the said catch disposed in the path of movement of the striking bar 12 when the gate is closed. However, when so moved, the bar 12 will engage the edge 17 of the catch to automatically lift the catch upwardly and permit the inward shifting of the said bar to abut the post 13 when the catch will immediately drop in front of the bar to hold the gate shut.

Connected to the free end of the arm 21 of the operating lever 19, is a latch string 27 which may, if desired, be loosely attached to the post 13 and terminates at the inner side of the gate. While I have defined the element 27 as a latch string, still, it will be understood that any suitable iiexible element may be employed or if desired, a short length of rod may be substituted for the said string. By pulling upon the string 27, the lever 19 will, as will be understood in view of the previous description be shifted to raise the catch 15 and release the gate.

It will therefore be seen that I provide a very simple and eflicient construction for the purpose set forth and a device which may be readily attached to and employed in connection with conventional types of gates as now in common use, without the necessity of structural change therein. Furthermore, it will be seen that the latch may be operated from either the inside or the outside of the gate, and that normally, the said latch will automatically act to lock the gate shut uponthe closing thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described including a supporting bracket, a catch pivotally connected to the bracket and normally gravitating to active position thereon, a pivoted operating lever for the catch, and means slidably connecting the lever with the catch and offset in' the direction of the mounting of said lever to provide a stop adapted to coperate with the bracket for limiting the catch in its movement to active position.

2. A device of the character described including a supporting bracket, a pivoted catch member gravitating to active position thereon, a pivotedl operating lever having downwardly directed arms formed thereon with the said arms extending below the pivotal center of the catch member, means slidably connecting one of said arms with the said catch member, and means connected to the free extremity of the other of said arms for actuating the said lever to lift the said catch member. n

3. A device of the character described in- -cluding a supporting bracket having spaced arms, a catch member pivoted between the said arms and normally gravitating to aotive position thereon, an upstanding post carried by the said bracket, a pivoted operating lever mounted upon the said post with a fixed center and having downwardly directed arms formed thereon, a link carried by the catch member and slidably engaging one of said arms with the said link providing a stop adapted to cooperate with the said bracket fo-r limiting the catch member in its movement to active position, and means connected to the other of said arms for shifting the said lever to lift the catch meniber.

4. A device of the character described including ar supporting bracket, a pivoted catch member mounted thereon and normally gravitating to active position upon the bracket, an upstanding post carried by the bracket, a substantially U-shaped operating lever pivoted at its bight to the said post with the arms of the said lever extending downwardly, an extension carried by one of said armsand slidably connected with the said catch member, and means connected to the other of said arms for rocking thc said lever to actuate the catch member.

In testimony whereofI ali-ix my signature.

KENNIE IFI. DELOATCII. [ns1 Copiesof this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents` Washington, D. C. 

